Unfinished business: Wall seeks fourth mayoral term

Editor’s Note: This is the second and final of two profiles about the two candidates running for mayor of Burlington. The profiles of the four candidates running for two open seats on Burlington’s City Council were printed Tuesday through Friday in alphabetical order, and mayoral candidates ran in alphabetical order through today.

Name: Ronnie K. Wall

Age: 56

Family: Wall has two stepdaughters with his wife of 10 years, Susie. His older stepdaughter is an insurance underwriter and the younger is finishing college at University of North Carolina in Greensboro. Wall also has one grandson.

Education: Wall graduated from Cummings High School in 1975, and earned a degree in Industrial Education from N.C. State in 1979. He also holds two masters degrees from A&T State University, one in safety and driver education and a second in educational administration.

Work: He spent 32 years in the Alamance-Burlington School System as a teacher, coach, athletic director, assistant principal, principal and assistant superintendent, from which he retired in 2011. Wall is currently president of the United Way of Alamance County.

Political Hero: “The only hero that I have is my dad,” said Wall. He said his father taught him family values, to always be humble, never forget your roots and to treat people the way they want to be treated. “To be honest, that’s pretty much what we live by in our household,” said Wall.

Follow: on Twitter @RonnieKWall, and on Facebook on the page, “Mayor Ronnie K. Wall.”

For the past six years, Ronnie Wall has led the Burlington City Council and has seen a lot of positive growth in the city. But he doesn’t think the job is over, and is running for his fourth term as mayor.

“Obviously we have business that’s not been finished,” said Wall. However, he said, “We’re in a pretty good state, I think, considering where the economy is.”

Wall’s six years in the midst of city government means he has a good idea what’s coming down the pike. He listed a few items the next council will have to deal with in 2014, regardless of who’s mayor.

He said public transportation will be addressed, as will the city’s sixth fire station in the southwest part of Burlington. Wall said the station means a large financial obligation for the city – and it’s not just the land purchase and construction.

“We obviously have to fill that building with staff,” which is an ongoing expense, he said.

Wall said Burlington city staff will also be undergoing a reclassification study in 2014, examining the positions and their pay scales. In regards to positions, he said the city will also have to look at hiring a new city attorney.

Page 2 of 2 - “Obviously, Mr. Bateman is going to be retiring at some point,” said Wall.

Charles Bateman was appointed interim city attorney in 2011 when the position was left vacant by Bob Ward, who retired to run for a city council seat. At the time, Bateman was expected to serve as interim city attorney through at least June 2012.

“We’re going to have to maybe tweak the economic incentives,” said Wall, adding it may be necessary to make the incentives for developing in east Burlington different than those for building in the west.

That said, Wall said he’s excited about the community-driven work group charged with identifying issues in east Burlington, which has split into different focus groups. “Hopefully we can have some wins there,” he said.

Wall also wants to continue promoting transparency in the local government.

He said Burlington Police Chief Jeff Smythe has the same philosophy of transparency, what with the ride-along program, and updated technology means patrol units can stay on the streets instead of returning to headquarters to file reports.

“There’s a bright light shining on the police department at this time,” said Wall.

And since 2007, he said the council really opened up the lines of communication, with retreats and neighborhood meetings providing more “accessibility” to Burlington residents. He said the city council has done a good job of “being visible in the community,” and he wants to keep it that way.

“How many elected bodies go out into neighborhoods?” said Wall. “I think I’ve proven myself over and over in a variety of areas,” Wall said, citing the way he’s communicated with other elected officials – including those at the regional and state levels – on bringing jobs to Burlington.

“I don’t have a place to hide. I’m all over this community,” said Wall. “When people want me, they get me.”